Sewing guide attachment for a sewing machine



April 10, 1962 A. E. HOLLISTER ETAL 3,028,822

SEWING GUIDE ATTACHMENT FOR A SEWING MACHINE Filed May 27. 1960INVENTORS ALICE E. HOLLISTER WILLIAM E. HOLLISTEIR Unie The presentinvention consists of a sewing guide and means for removably attachingit to a fiat surface portion of a sewing machine in a selected oifsetrelationship with respect to a sewing machine needle and presser foot ofthe sewing machine in a manner such that the sewing guide attachmentacts as a seam gauge or as a stitching guide for gathering lace or forruifiing material (which is usually accomplished by a suitable auxiliaryattachment for the sewing machine), and to do so in a manner providing adesired degree of transverse offset of the longitudinal sewing line,which can be effectively measured by transverse measuring scale meanscarried by the sewing guide attachment of the present invention. In onespecific form of the present invention, the sewing guide attachmentmeans includes a longitudinal member fastened to the flat surfaceportion of the sewing machine transversely offset from the sewingmachine needle and slidably carrying perpendicular thereto a transversemember carrying a slide member thereon provided with a longitudinalmarking edge on means cooperable with a transverse measuring scalecarried by the transverse member for the offsetsewing-line-determiningpurposes referred to above, and with the longitudinal member alsobearing visibly observable measuring scale means to determine thedistance of the transverse member from the sewing machine needle. Undercertain circumstances of use, in this form of the invention, thelongitudinal member may be removed and the transverse member may bedirectly attached by attachment and/ or fastener means to the flatsurface portion of the sewing machine, with the transverse membercarrying the slide member for transverse movement with respect to alongitudinal sewing line longitudinally aligned with the sewing machineneedle whereby to provide any desired degree of transverse offset of thesewing line on the material being sewn, gathered, or ruffled. Also, insome versions of this form of use of the invention, the slide member mayalso be removed, if desired. This use of the invention is particularlydesirable for providing a desired seam allowance-in other words, for useas a seam allowance gauge.

t is an object of the preent invention to provide a sewing guideattachment for a sewing machine of the character referred to above,which is of extremely simple, cheap, foolproof construction such as tobe conducive to widespread use thereof.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which followsand will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful studythereof.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention, oneexemplary embodiment of the complete sewing guide attachment for asewing machine is illustrated in the hereinbelow-described figures ofthe accompanying single drawing sheet and is described in detailhereinafter. However, it should be noted that two distinct modes of useof the invention are illustrated in the figures and several distincttypes of attachment means for attaching the invention to the fiatsurface portion of a sewing machine in a desired relationship withrespect to a. sewing machine needle, are shown in the drawing.

PEG. 1 is an oblique view of one illustrative embodiment of the presentinvention in mounted operative relationship with respect to a flatsurface portion of a sewing machine (shown fragmentarily and in brokenlines) and with respect to a sewing machine needle and presser foot ofthe sewing machine (also shown fragmentarily and in broken lines). Thisview also shows in fragmentary, broken-line form a piece of lace, or thelike, which is to be gathered or rufiled with a desired degree of sewingline offset as determined by the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a staggered longitudinal sectional View taken in the directionof the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the direction of thearrows 3-'3 of FIG. '1 illustrating one form of the attachment means forremovably attaching the device of the present invention to the flatsurface portion of a sewing machine in a transversely offsetrelationship with respect to the sewing machine needle, as shown in FIG.1.

H6. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary oblique exploded view of the attachmentmeans shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary oblique view, sowewhat similar to FIG. 1,illustrating the device being used primarily as a seam allowance gauge,with the longitudinal member removed and the transverse member directlyfastened or attached by a modified type of attachment means to the flatsurface portion of the sewing machine.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded oblique view of the modified type ofattachment means shown in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 for exemplary purposes, one illustrativeembodiment of the invention takes the form of a longitudinal flat planarmember, indicated generally at it), bearing visibly observablelongitudinal measuring scale means 11 on the upper surface thereof andbeing provided at a first end 12 with attachment means, indicatedgenerally at 13, adapted for removable and horizontal attachment of theentire device immediately above a flat horizontal surface portion of asewing machine and in a laterally offset relationship with respect to asewing machine needle and presser foot of the sewing machine. In thespecific example illustrated, the fiat surface portion of the sewingmachine is shown fragmentarily and in broken lines at 14, the sewingmachine needle is shown fragmentarily and in broken lines at 15, and thepresser foot is shown fragmentarily and in broken lines at 16.

The first embodiment of the invention also includes a transverse memberof generally flat planar configuration, as indicated generally at 17.The transverse member 17 has a first end thereof 18, which is providedwith a through longitudinal slot means 19, which slidably encompassesand receives the longitudinal member 10 therethrough whereby =tolongitudinally slidably mount the transverse member 17 for manuallycontrolled longitudinal movement along the length of the longitudinalmember 10 between the first end 12 thereof and a stop means 20 at asecond end 21 thereof, and with the straight edge 22 of the transversemember 17 acting as a transverse marking edge visibly cooperable withthe longitudinal measuring scale 11 for visibly indicating any desireddegree of longitudinal offset or of distance from the sewing machineneedle 15. It should also be noted that the other straight edge 23 ofthe transverse member may also act as a transverse marking edge, ifdesired, as may any marking line or portion carried by the transparentupper planar member of the transverse member 17;

in the specific example illustrated, the transverse member, indicatedgenerally at 17, takes a specific structural form wherein it comprises alower flat planar member 24 and an upper flat planar member 25 oftransparent material (usually transparent plastic such as an acrylicresin, or the like, although not specifically so limited) verticallyspaced apart by two intermediate spacer members 26 carried therebetweenat the first end 18 of the transverse member 17 and spaced therefromwhereby to define therebetween the slot 19 slidably carrying thelongitudinal member and also whereby to define an additional receivingslot 27, which slidably carries a slide member, indicated generally at28, for transverse slidable moverxent between opposite ends of thetransverse member 17.

In the specific example illustrated, the slide member 28 consists of anupper member 29, which is preferably transparent, although notspecifically so limited, a lower member 30, and 'an intermediate member31, with all three of the members 29, 30, and 31 being joined togetherat opposite ends thereof, as indicated at $2, and defining transverserecess means 33 between intermediate portions of the members 29, 30, and31, which slidably receive the upper and lower planar members 25 and 24of the transverse member 17, whereby to frictionally slidably mount theslide member 28 thereon. It should be noted that the upper surface ofthe transverse member 17 carries transverse measuring scale means 34,with which the straight edge 35 of the slide member 28 is adapted tovisibly cooperate for visibly indicating any desired degree oftransverse offset from a sewing line region longitudinally aligned withthe sewing machine needle and indicated in broken lines at 36. It shouldbe noted that the straight edge 35 effectively comprises a longitudinalmarking edge for the slide member 28, although the other straight edgethereof or marks carried by the top of the slide member may be used forindicating purposes under certain conditions of use. It should be notedthat the left end of the measuring scale 34 carries a marking line 37,which indicates the position of the sewing line 36 in longitudinalalignment with the sewing machine needle 15, whereby any desired degreeof offset for the lace or other piece of fabric which is to be sewn,gathered, or ruffled can be produced. This is true even though varioustypes of attachments (not shown) are employed for the purpose ofruffling or gathering the lace. In FIG. 1 the lace is indicated inbroken lines at 33.

The attachment means, indicated generally at 13 and briefly referred toin the specific exemplary form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4,comprises aperture-defining means 39 carried by the longitudinal member19 adjacent the first end 12 thereof, and fastener means, indicatedgenerally at 46, including a substantially L-shaped element 40 having adownwardly directed portion 41, which is insertible downwardly throughone of the apertures 39 into a corresponding aperture 42 in the fiatsurface portion 14 of the sewing machine, with the L-shaped element 40being provided with a downwardly-apertured washer-shaped portion 43adapted to receive downwardly therethrough a threaded screw fastener 44,which is insertible downwardly through the other of the apertures 39 andinto removable threaded engagement with another aperture 45 of the flatsurface portion 14 of the sewing machine, whereby to firmly mount theentire device in the position shown in FIG. 1 and in the manner shown ingreater details in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a slight modification of both the use of theinvention and of the specific type of attachment means thereof. In thisversion, identical parts are indicated by identical reference numerals,and similar parts are indicated by similar reference numerals, primed,however. It will be noted that the transverse member 17 of FIGS. 5 and 6is identical to the transverse member 17 shown in FIG. 1. However, itwill also be noted that the longitudinal member 10 of FIG. 1 and theslide member 28 of FIG. 1 have been removed from the transverse member17, thus leaving only the transverse member 17 in FIGS. 5 and 6.Therefore, vertical aligned pairs of apertures 39' now receive themodified form of fastener means, indicated generally at 46', forfastening the transverse member 17 to the flat surface portion 14 of thesewing machine. It should be noted that the first type fastener means,indicated generally at 46 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, may also beemployed in this modification of the invention. However, the modifiedtype of fastener means 46', shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, includes twocorresponding downwardly directed elements 47, each having an insertionportion or tip covered with elastomeric material, as indicated at 48,and each having an inwardly offset, flat, vertically directed topportion 49 adapted to be resiliently engaged and clamped by resilientspring clamp means 50 after the insertion tips 48 are inserteddownwardly through the apertures 39' and through the apertures 42 and 45(such as shown in FIG. 3) of the flat surface portion 14 of the sewingmachine. This will provide a very effective type of fastening orattachment means adapted for quick engagement and disengagement withrespect to the sewing machine. It should also be noted that the modifiedfastening means 46, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, may be employed forfastening the longitudinal member 10, shown in FIGS. 1-4, to the sewingmachine surface portion 14, if desired.

FIG. 5 is shown in use acting as a sewing line offset guide or seamallowance gauge for the piece of material indicated fragmentarily inbroken lines at 38.

It should be noted that either the complete form of the invention shownin FIGS. l-4 or the subcombination form shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 maycooperate with material which is to be sewn in several different ways.For example, the material may be positioned between the upper and lowerportions of the transverse member or may be positioned thereunder.Various modes of use of the complete and/or subcombination forms of theinvention are contemplated, in addition to those specificallyillustrated in the figures, and will be apparent to those skilled in theart after a careful study hereof.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific descriptionthereof set forth in this application are for the purpose ofillustrating the present invention and are not to be construed aslimiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specificstructure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore.Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantiallyequivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventiveconcept of the present invention.

We claim:

A sewing guide attachment for a sewing machine, comprising: alongitudinal member of flat planar configuration bearing visiblyobservable longitudinal measuring scale means on the upper surfacethereof and being provided at a first end with attachment means forremovable and horizontal attachment to a flat horizontal surface portionof a sewing machine laterally offset from a sewing machine needle andbeing provided at a second end thereof with stop means; a transversemember having a first end thereof provided with through longitudinalrecess-slot means slidably horizontally mounted on said longitudinalmember for manually controlled movement along the length of saidlongitudinal member between said first end and said stop means carriedby said second end thereof, and being provided with a transverse markingedge visibly coperable with said longitudinal measuring scale means forvisibly indicating any desired degree of longitudinal offset from thesewing machine needle, said transverse member being of flat planarconfiguration substantially co-planar with the fiat planar longitudinalmember and being transversely directed therefrom so as to extend to asewing line region perpendicular thereto and aligned with a sewingmachine needle and parallel to said longitudinal member, said transversemember hearing visibly observable transverse measuring scale means onthe upper surface thereof; and a slide member provided with throughtransverse recess means transversely slidably mounted on said transversemember for slidable movement therealong and being provided with alongitudinal marking edge movably cooperable with the transversemeasuring scale to visibly indicate any desired degree of transverseotfset from the sewing line region lonverse offset from the sewing lineregion longitudinally gitudinally aligned with the sewing machineneedle; said aligned with the sewing machine needle.

transverse member comprising a lower that planar member and an upperfiat planar member of transparent material References Cited in the 0fthis patent adapted to receive therebetween the edge of a niece of 5UNITED STATES PATENTS material in transverse abutment with thelongitudinal marking edge of the slide member slidably carried by said620,413 'Chatfield 23, 1899 transverse member, whereby to effectivelyposition and 691,705 Lewis 1902' guide the material for movementlongitudinally toward ,6 Palin y 28, 1953 the sewing machine needle witha desired degree of trans- 10 2,948,036 Heller Aug. 9, 1960

